Looking Back on 2017

This post might be a little late and thrown together last minute, but I felt I needed to say a final goodbye to 2017 before my blog entered into the new year for good.

Like last year, this year also came with a lot of ups and downs, and looking back I came to the realisation that – hey – life isn’t perfect. There’s going to be some moments that make you want to tear your hair out, moments that cripple you and make you feel as though you might never recover. But it’s these things that shape you and help build you into a stronger, more experienced person. And it’s also taking time to step back and appreciate what you do have.

So here’s some of the memories that made 2017 special.

I met Taylor Swift

Kicking this list off with a big ‘un. After (not so patiently) waiting, I finally got a chance to hug and meet the person I have looked up to for years. Oh, and I may or may not have been invited to her house to hear her latest album before it was released.

Telling this story is never going to get old.

I spent Valentine’s Day in Amsterdam

This was my first trip of the year and I immediately fell in love with the canals and history this city had to offer. It was the perfect little getaway – despite being freezing – to kick off a year full of adventures.

I went to PRIDE in London for the first time

This was a really special experience for me and I got to share it with some of my best friends. The atmosphere was so bloody incredible: rainbows everywhere and so much love.

I fell in love with Canada’s National Parks

I well and truly left my heart in Canada this summer after seeing its natural beauty. I had two weeks crammed full of hikes, scenic drives and adrenaline fueled activities such as white water rafting .. so damn excited to be heading back out there in 2018!

My confidence continued to grow ..

Despite a few low moments and sighs as I wished my eyebrows would behave OR I wished I was less socially awkward, I actually started to appreciate myself more. I travelled, was challenged at work, became closer with my Mum and started to realise how important the little things were in life.

I spent two weeks full of cocktails and sun in Mallorca

After (finally) finishing work and Uni for the summer, I got to indulge myself by jetting off to the Balearic island of Mallorca. And I think it’s safe to say, I will never grow tired of piña coladas, beachy walks, sightseeing & boat trips.

I saw some of my favourite artists live for the first time ..

This year I got to see artists such as Shawn Mendes, Kelsea Ballerini, Maren Morris and Thomas Rhett, plus a dozen others I will never forget. So thankful that I get to see as many of my favourites as I do. Oh, and of course, add Taylor Swift to that list too.

I escaped to London for a few days

I’d been to London a dozen times, but it was nice to spend a couple of days being a real tourist: going to the theatre, eating halloumi fries in Camden Market, riding the london eye, getting lost in Notting Hill and finishing it all with a trip to the Harry Potter Warner Bros studios. Perfect.

I spent one year with my girlfriend

A year full of facetime calls, train journeys, long text messages and hopping on planes. We visited three different countries, ten different cities, binge watched our way through over a dozen movies. Long distance isn’t easy, but she makes it completely worth it.

I spent my birthday week exploring Berlin

This definitely has to be one of my favorite things I did in 2017, because, let’s face it, Berlin was a complete and utter dream. I went mid-autumn, so all my photos are full of bright orange trees and incredible architecture. I’m definitely going to write a proper blog post about what I got up to whilst there so stay tuned.

I made so many plans for 2018

I am so damn excited for what this new year has in store. I’m seeing Taylor Swift in concert, FINALLY seeing the Cursed Child play in London, flying back out to Canada to explore Vancouver (with a possible detour to Seattle), roadtripping around Italy with my girlfriend .. and so much more.